Tag: Mason Via

You Gotta Hear This: Thomas Cassell, Greenwood Rye, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Another weekly roundup is here! You Gotta Hear This.

To get us started, Thomas Cassell reveals another track from his upcoming duo album. “Makin’ Some Noise” features his longtime friend and shredder Trey Hensley joining in on a Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers track with just enough of a Bill Monroe flair to excel with the bluegrass treatment. Plus, Colorado-based bluegrass band Jake Leg preview their new album with its title track, “No One Lives Here Anymore.” It’s an apt harbinger for the thoughtful, lonesome, and melancholic songs found on their upcoming collection – due to drop in June.

From elsewhere in bluegrass, the Lonesome River Band debut “Back When,” a song dripping with nostalgia that was co-written by LRB member Jesse Smathers with Nick Goad and Barry Hutchens. The track features a traditional instrument all too rare in bluegrass these days – the electric guitar! Nashville bluegrass outfit Greenwood Rye call on some mighty collaborators for their new song, too. “Ready to Burn” is indeed a barn burner, boasting features by Mason Via (who co-wrote the song with Greenwood’s Shawn Spencer), Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon, and IBMA Award winner Vickie Vaughn. It’s jammin’, energetic, and certainly fiery.

Don’t miss folk and Americana duo Great Willow included below as well. Their new song, “Age of Reason,” speaks to these highly divided times we’re living through – and everyone is talking about. “[We] don’t remember a time when the America we love has felt quite this disconnected and hostile against itself,” the duo tells us via email. “Americans can be so sweet and generous – you’d see it in every region as a traveling musician. How did we all fall so far so fast?” Their indie-folk track – lush with sounds and styles of the ’60s, ’70s, and Laurel Canyon – is charming in its consideration of such an existential question.

Singer-songwriter Kyle LaLone encourages all of us to “Slow Down” on his new Americana track. Inspired by quite literally running on fumes, LaLone speaks to the need we all face on the day-to-day to be present, to take deep breaths, and more. Sometimes all you need is to slow down. And make sure to hear the latest from singer-songwriter Mia Kelly, as well. “Big Time Roller Coaster Feeling” is about the highs and lows of having an all-encompassing crush, leaning into that free-falling feeling – of love and rollercoasters, both. It’s vibing and modern indie/acoustic folk that really enables the lyric and stories Kelly tells to shine.

There’s plenty to enjoy! You know what we think – You Gotta Hear This…

Thomas Cassell, “Makin’ Some Noise” (Featuring Trey Hensley)

Artist: Thomas Cassell
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee via Norton, Virginia
Song: “Makin’ Some Noise” (featuring Trey Hensley)
Album: Guitar Collection
Release Date: May 18, 2026 (single); August 21, 2026 (album)
Label: Common Loon Records

In Their Words: “Trey Hensley has been a longtime favorite of mine and more recently a great friend that I’ve been fortunate to make lots of music with. When I started to plan this collaborative album, Trey was one of the first calls I made. We are both huge Tom Petty fans, so it was natural to choose something from his catalog. This 1990s Heartbreakers track was on my mind as there was something about Mike Campbell’s guitar riff that was so Bill Monroe. It was a pleasure to work with Trey on this track – he’s truly one of the best singers and guitar players to ever do it and every time I stand next to him, I realize that in a whole new way. Hopefully this track is as fun to listen to as it was to make!” – Thomas Cassell

Track Credits:
Thomas Cassell – Mandolin, lead vocal
Trey Hensley – Guitar, lead vocal
Jeff Picker – Bass

Great Willow, “Age of Reason”

Artist: Great Willow
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “Age of Reason”
Release Date: May 22, 2026

In Their Words: “Erin and I don’t remember a time when the America we love has felt quite this disconnected and hostile against itself. Americans can be so sweet and generous – you’d see it in every region as a traveling musician. How did we all fall so far so fast? Our song is a lament for that lost open-heartedness and a call to hopefully return to it. Maybe reconnecting with the beautiful natural world is a start.” – James Combs

“We recorded ‘Age of Reason’ in producer Susan James’ home studio out in California horse country – with avocado trees and exotic chickens on the hill out back and her hairless Sphynx cat crawling through our cases and being hilarious inside. Susan is a preternaturally gifted artist, arranger and producer. We loved working with her. And we love the amazing Dobro and slide Ben Peeler (Mavericks, Wallflowers) played on our song. It’s the special sauce the puts it over the edge.” – Erin Hawkins

Track Credits: 
Erin Hawkins – Cello, vocal, songwriter
James Combs – Guitar, vocal, songwriter
Susan James – Organ, producer
Ben Peeler – Dobro, slide guitar

Greenwood Rye & Mason Via, “Ready to Burn”

Artist: Greenwood Rye, Mason Via, Vince Herman, Vickie Vaughn
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Ready to Burn”
Release Date: May 15, 2026

In Their Words: “‘Ready to Burn’ is a jammy bluegrass party song! When Mason Via and I got together to write it, we were both in a place where we had put a ton of effort into our respective albums and everything we were doing was very serious. So we wanted to shift gears a little bit and make something purely for fun. We wrote a song about getting together with our friends and preparing to have an epic barn burner. The recording of the song started as us wanting to get together to make some social media content. We ended up doing it at Parlor Studio where our friend Ethan Greek was working as an engineer. It snowballed into a full studio recording and then we thought, ‘Why stop there? Let’s get some features.’ So we called two of our favorite Nashville bluegrassers, who we love to jam with, Vince Herman (Leftover Salmon) and Vickie Vaughn (Della Mae), and asked them to join the party!” – Shawn Spencer

Track Credits:
Shawn Spencer – Guitar, vocals, songwriter, producer
Mason Via – Guitar, vocals, songwriter
Taylor Shuck – Banjo
Cat McDonald – Fiddle
David Freeman – Mandolin, BGVs
Larry Cook – Bass
Vince Herman – Vocals
Vickie Vaughn – Vocals
Sasha Ostrovsky – Dobro

Mia Kelly, “Big Time Roller Coaster Feeling”

Artist: Mia Kelly
Hometown: Gatineau, Quebec, Canada
Song: “Big Time Roller Coaster Feeling”
Album: Big Time Roller Coaster Feeling
Release Date: May 22, 2026 (album)

In Their Words: “‘Big Time Roller Coaster Feeling’ is a song that details all the instances in which I have fallen for someone. As playful as it is personal, each verse describes a crush. When it came the time to make the video we decided to depict each of these crushes as a classic date, with the date’s face obscured by something ludicrous. The chorus draws from that joyful free-fall, that tummy-flipping feeling you get when you’re in love.” – Mia Kelly

Track Credits:
Mia Kelly – Lead vocals, acoustic guitar
Connor Seidel – Bass, piano, organ, slide guitar, percussion
Olivier Fairfield – Drums, percussion
Ben Plotnick – Fiddle
Aaron Collis – Mandolin, accordion
Adam Brisbin – Electric Guitar, slide

Video Credits: Randy Kelly – Videographer, director, editor

Kyle LaLone, “Slow Down”

Artist: Kyle LaLone
Hometown: Diamond Bar, California
Song: “Slow Down”
Album: Make My Own Way
Release Date: May 15, 2026 (single); June 12, 2026 (album)

In Their Words: “Another song that started with the title and whose lyrics were sparked by a specific event. One morning I had to drive to catch a flight to an out-of-town gig after having played a gig the night before. Once I got in my car I realized I was really low on gas and wouldn’t have enough time to stop to fill up on my way there. Luckily I made it to the parking garage near the airport but knew I would be running on fumes to find a gas station before the drive home. That situation inspired the first verse and got me thinking about my tendency to just keep going until I’m out of gas figuratively and literally when what I really need to do sometimes is slow down.” – Kyle LaLone

Jake Leg, “No One Lives Here Anymore”

Artist: Jake Leg
Hometown: Lyons, Colorado
Song: “No One Lives Here Anymore”
Album: No One Lives Here Anymore
Release Date: May 15, 2026 (single); June 13, 2026 (album)

In Their Words: “‘No One Lives Here Anymore’ is the first single and title track from our sophomore album coming out on June 13. It was probably one of the first songs written for this album and touches on the themes of sadness and isolation that show up throughout this collection of songs. I’ve always really loved and connected with sad songs so that tends to show in my writing fairly often. ‘No One Lives Here Anymore’ is sort of an ‘anti-story’ of someone who has lost connection with the aspects of life that make it fulfilling and has fallen into the pattern of observing life as it goes by rather than participating in it. Musically, the chord progression kind of folds around on itself and I think is representative of the cyclical nature of some of these feelings that we experience throughout life.” – Dylan McCarthy

Track Credits:
Eric Wiggs – Guitar, vocals
Dylan McCarthy – Mandolin, vocals, songwriter
Justin Hoffenberg – Fiddle
Aaron Hoffenberg – Bass

Lonesome River Band, “Back When”

Artist: Lonesome River Band
Hometown: Floyd, Virginia
Song: “Back When”
Release Date: May 15, 2026
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I’m so proud to have had a hand in writing ‘Back When’ with my pals Nick Goad and Barry Hutchens. As we had a conversation on Barry’s back porch we reminisced about our youth, the mischief we got into, and of course being musicians, our first chords, and songs we learned. Looking back, those moments are so sentimental and they made me into who I am today. It’s important to be aware of those subtle reminders that take us to our formative years way ‘back when.'” – Jesse Smathers, songwriter, guitarist

“The essence of ‘Back When’ is how the least little thing – a conversation with an old friend, a song, etc. – can cause memories to come flooding back. It was a real privilege for me to have the opportunity to write it with Jesse and Nick. They are both such talented writers and musicians. It’s one of those songs that came about simply by the three of us sitting around and reminiscing about when we were kids and growing up playing music.” – Barry Hutchens, songwriter

Track Credits:
Adam Miller – Mandolin, lead vocal
Sammy Shelor – Banjo, harmony vocal
Jesse Smathers – Acoustic guitar, harmony vocal
Mike Hartgrove – Fiddle
Kameron Keller – Upright bass
Rod Riley – Electric guitar

Photo Credit: Thomas Cassell by Scott Simontacchi; Greenwood Rye courtesy of the artist.

Watch 4 Live Videos From the Carrboro Bluegrass Festival

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

In 2025, at their inaugural event, the Carrboro Bluegrass Festival attracted bluegrass fans from 13 states to an iconic venue, Cat’s Cradle, in the roots music rich area of North Carolina’s “Triangle.” Attendees enjoyed performances from artists like Jim Lauderdale, the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Woody Platt & the Bluegrass Gentlemen, Brownyn Keith-Hynes, Graham Sharp & Friends, Max Wareham & the National Bluegrass Team, and more.

On May 23, 2026, the festival returns once again to the Cat’s Cradle Back Yard for their second annual edition of the tremendously successful event. Tickets are on sale now. This year, the lineup includes string band and bluegrass luminaries like Mason Via, Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands, Trenton Wagler and Eric Brubaker (of the Steel Wheels), Jon Stickley Trio, and more. And, for the first time in 2026, the Carrboro Bluegrass Festival is partnering with the UNC Bluegrass Initiative to support live bluegrass music in the greater Chapel Hill and Carrboro area. Plus, student members of the Carolina Bluegrass Band will open the festival.

As with all roots music events held in the fertile, artful lands of North Carolina, the very first Carrboro Bluegrass Festival wasn’t just about the performers, it was about the spirit of Carrboro itself. Connecting music, place, and communities together with intention and pride. Carrboro is full of great restaurants, shops, art, and community spaces – it’s no wonder the little town is referred to as “one of the most progressive communities in the South.”

To spotlight the town – and the music – last year the festival captured a series of exclusive, stripped-back performances at some of the town’s most historic landmarks. BGS has been proud to partner with Carrboro Bluegrass Festival since its inception, so while we look ahead to this year’s event, we’re sharing a series of four videos shot by the festival, the city of Carrboro, and the Orange County Visitor’s Bureau last year during the proceedings. Enjoy exclusive performances by Jim Lauderdale & the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Woody Platt, and Max Wareham below.

Make your plans now to attend the Carrboro Bluegrass Festival at the Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina on May 23, 2026. Tickets available here.

Jim Lauderdale & the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

Roots music renaissance man Jim Lauderdale has collaborated with hit bluegrass group the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys quite a bit over the last few years and together they’re releasing another album on April 24, 2026, entitled The Birds Know. (We recently premiered the lead single of that project, check it out here.) Last year during the Carrboro Bluegrass Festival, Lauderdale and the Boys performed “Long and Lonesome Letting Go” under an old, shady tree outside of Carrboro Town Hall, just down the street from Cat’s Cradle.

Max Wareham & the National Bluegrass Team

For our second video, Connecticut-based banjo player and singer-songwriter Max Wareham assembles his band, the National Bluegrass Team, just out front of the Cat’s Cradle to perform an original song, “Highway to Your Heart.” You may recognize Wareham from performing in Peter Rowan’s band or from his most recent album, DAGGOMIT!, released in 2025. His approach is modern but rooted deeply in traditional bluegrass, as you can tell from the energy and feel of the song.

Woody Platt & the Bluegrass Gentlemen

A godfather of bluegrass and jamgrass in North Carolina, Woody Platt brought his Bluegrass Gentlemen down from the mountains to Carrboro for last year’s festival. With them they carried along “Like the Rain Does,” the lead track off Platt’s 2024 solo release, Far Away With You. Its minor chords offer a melancholy tinge to match the rain falling in the song’s hook, but the energy and tempo of the track – especially in this live performance captured from the band’s green room trailer – give that cheery bluegrass sheen to the lyrics. Whether local, regional, or national acts the talent on display at the Carrboro Bluegrass Festival is first rate.

Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

Fiddler and singer-songwriter Bronwyn Keith-Hynes has been building an impressive résumé for herself, especially since departing Molly Tuttle’s Golden Highway. Her 2024 album, I Built A World, was nominated for a GRAMMY for Best Bluegrass Album and if you’ve not had a chance to catch her live touring band recently, you’re missing out. Her groups always boast the best and brightest of young bluegrass pickers – and her lineup at the Carrboro Bluegrass Festival last year was no exception. Backgrounded by a stunning Good for the Hive mural by Matt Willey on the side of the Carrboro Fire Station, Keith-Hynes and her band are certainly impressive as they render “Virginia Gal, She’s Up and Gone” for our final video captured at last year’s festival.

If you’re in the mood for even more excellent bluegrass served up in one of the cutest and most dynamic little towns in North Carolina, don’t miss the second Carrboro Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, May 23, 2026. More information here.

This content brought to you in partnership with the Carrboro Bluegrass Festival.

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Dirk Powell, Daniel Grindstaff, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Need some new music in your life? You Gotta Hear This!

This time, our weekly roundup is kicked off – pun intended – by mandolinist and singer-songwriter Ashby Frank, who has just released “Stokes County Buck Dancing Man.” Written with Mason Via, the track pays tribute to the tradition of flatfooting and buck dancing at fiddlers conventions, old-time jams, and bluegrass festivals – especially giving homage to Todd “The Bod” Inman of Galax Old Fiddler’s Convention fame. It’s modern bluegrass with plenty of fun, down-home, mountain music infusions. Also in bluegrass, Daniel Grindstaff & the Uptown Troubadours have a brand new self-titled album out today. To celebrate, we’re sharing their cover of “Denver,” a song written by the legendary Larry Gatlin. Whatever the genre, whomever the artist, the song certainly shines; Grindstaff and company do it justice.

Old-time, Cajun, and Americana musician Dirk Powell shares a new lyric video with us today, as well. “Down The Line” captures the musical itinerant lifestyle and career Powell has made for himself, reflecting on the journeys he’s taken from his home in Louisiana to points all over the map – but especially Powell’s beloved Southwest. From West Virginia, singer-songwriter Brad Goodall draws from the river town vibes of his native Huntington for “River Water.” Found at the confluence of clean, manicured soft rock and gritty Americana folk rock, Goodall plays with themes well-placed in roots music: home, belonging, leaving, staying, and – eventually – coming to terms with all of it.

Texan artist, songwriter, and cowgirl Candace Hastings has brought us her new song, “Loving Cowboys,” today as well. It’s a song about being left behind by the person you love, watching the dust kick up from their truck tires as they head off to make their living. Jazzy and swinging, it’s country steeped in the “& western” most of the genre has long since dropped, but Texas keeps well alive for all of us to enjoy. To wrap us up, SUSTO’s acoustic iteration, Susto Stringband, team up with Morgan Wade for “Hard Drugs,” off an upcoming second volume of Susto Stringband. The group wasn’t originally planning to include this song on the project, but were convinced by Wade – to the benefit of each of us.

There’s so much to check out and enjoy below! You Gotta Hear This…

Ashby Frank, “Stokes County Buck Dancing Man”

Artist: Ashby Frank
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Stokes County Buck Dancing Man”
Release Date: March 20, 2026
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I wrote this song with my buddy Mason Via. We both attended fiddlers conventions and bluegrass festivals in North Carolina and Virginia when we were kids and, of course, flatfoot buck dancing and clogging are a big part of these events. There were always so many great musicians and dancers there, as well as some larger-than-life personalities, but Todd ‘The Bod’ Inman from Stokes County, North Carolina, might have been the biggest and brightest character of them all.

“We wrote this song as a tribute to Todd and we were able to send him a work tape version of it before he passed away from cancer in 2024. He loved being the life of the party and the star of the show and he seemed to really get a kick out of our song about him. Galax Old Fiddler’s Convention will never be the same without his iconic dance moves and sense of humor. I was so pleased that Mason agreed to sing harmony with me on this track and I’m so very proud of how it turned out. This one’s for The Bodman!” – Ashby Frank

Track Credits:
Ashby Frank – Mandolin, lead vocal
Seth Taylor – Acoustic guitar
Travis Anderson – Bass
Matt Menefee – Banjo
Tony Creasman – Drums
Mason Via – Harmony vocal
Jim VanCleve – Fiddle

Daniel Grindstaff, “Denver”

Artist: Daniel Grindstaff
Hometown: Elizabethton, Tennessee
Song: “Denver”
Album: Daniel Grindstaff & The Uptown Troubadours
Release Date: March 20, 2026 (album)
Label: Bonfire Music Group

In Their Words: “‘Denver’ lyrically paints a picture and tells a story of heartbreak set against the backdrop of the Rockies. Written more than 40 years ago by legendary songwriter Larry Gatlin, I felt it was the perfect time to introduce ‘Denver’ to a new bluegrass audience. There’s so much about the song that I loved when I first heard it – the melody, the storyline, and the vocal lift in the chorus all grabbed me. Being a huge fan of Larry Gatlin’s songwriting and the music of the the Gatlin Brothers, it’s an honor to put our spin on this great song and show how incredible lyrics and melodies can move through genres and generations and stand the test of time.” – Daniel Grindstaff

Brad Goodall, “River Water”

Artist: Brad Goodall
Hometown: Huntington, West Virginia
Song: “River Water”
Album: Hometown
Release Date: March 20, 2026 (single); May 1, 2026 (album)

In Their Words: “Biographical in nature, this song pulled from me a lot of the bittersweet feelings I have regarding my surroundings. ‘You can leave it, it’ll be there when you need it,’ in the hook. West Virginia isn’t going anywhere, and it’s home, but finding my own brand of happiness here took a lot of maturing, because I spent much of my twenties confused, frustrated, and wanting out. As my values changed, my outlook on it brightened.

“This song became more than I imagined in the initial demos. The record version scratches my soft rock itch and even leaves room for a hypothetical live jam in the instrumental bridge section – both of those qualities are pure to me. I was also lucky to have found a defining riff song, which has blossomed again in trending indie and folk songs of today’s landscape. ‘River Water’ is a personal favorite of mine for another reason, it’s malleable. On the road last year and now, I’ve played it as a solo piano ballad, which has brought me close to the tune in inspiring new ways.” – Brad Goodall

Track Credits:
Brad Goodall – Vocals, piano, songwriter, producer
Jason Boesel – Producer
Zack Owens – Guitar, vocals
Griff Goldsmith – Drums, vocals
Macey Taylor – Bass
Jack Tellmann – Engineer

Candace Hastings, “Loving Cowboys”

Artist: Candace Hastings
Hometown: San Marcos, Texas
Song: “Loving Cowboys”
Release Date: March 26, 2026

In Their Words: “I’ve loved a lot of leavers in my life. ‘Loving Cowboys’ is for all of us who stay home and watch the truck kick up dust on the way out of the gate at sunrise or the ship pull away from the dock for yet another six-month tour. It’s about loving someone with a divided heart, a touchstone for those of us who are left behind – how much are we willing to give up of ourselves to make someone else’s dreams come true? ‘Loving Cowboys’ is a song that gets folks to push back the tables in a crowded bar and dance in the dark. It’s a late-night, jazz-tinted country ballad you can’t help but sway to, a dive bar classic jukebox tune that closes out the night for every lonely heart in the joint. So close the blinds and turn down the lights – it’s time to dance.” – Candace Hastings

Track Credits:
Candace Hastings – Vocals, guitar
Lloyd Maines – Guitar
Glen Fukunaga – Upright bass
Chris Gage – Piano
Pat Manske – Drums

Dirk Powell, “Down The Line”

Artist: Dirk Powell
Hometown: Lafayette, Louisiana (Born in Oberlin, Ohio into a family with deep Kentucky roots.)
Song: “Down The Line”
Album: Wake
Release Date: April 17, 2026 (album)
Label: The Last Music Company

In Their Words: “Softly rolling banjos, stark guitars, and distant fiddles paint pictures of journeys from my home in Louisiana through places that have inspired me to lay everything on the line – and given me settings in which to do so. West. South. I’ll take either one, but both at once makes the blood rise in my chest. To feel the moisture of the Gulf give way to chaparral, then to scrubby plains, and finally to the bright desert. Danger and its opposite.” – Dirk Powell

Susto Stringband, “Hard Drugs” Featuring Morgan Wade

Artist: Susto Stringband
Hometown: Asheville, North Carolina
Song: “Hard Drugs” featuring Morgan Wade
Album: Susto Stringband (Volume Two)
Release Date: May 29, 2026 (album)
Label: Missing Piece Records

In Their Words: “‘Hard Drugs’ was written in the early days of SUSTO, shortly after the release of our self-titled debut. It’s a song about loss, and performing it for years has always taken me back to the moment when it was written. It’s one of the songs from our catalog that people have really latched on to over the years and I’m glad to have been able to revisit it for Susto Stringband (Volume Two). I wasn’t originally planning on including this track for the record, but after chatting with Morgan [Wade] about doing a feature for the album, she requested this one in particular and I’m really glad she did. Morgan’s vocals, along with the string band reimagining of the song, have really breathed new life into it for me and reminded me that songs written from the heart can continue to transcend when presented in new light. I’m so grateful for Morgan adding her voice to this song and the stories it represents, and I’m extra glad to finally share it with the world!” – Justin Osborne

Photo Credit: Dirk Powell by Karen Cox; Daniel Grindstaff courtesy of Bonfire Music Group.

Mason Via Returned to Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains to Record His New Self-Titled Album

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

After a three-year run with revered bluegrass troupe Old Crow Medicine Show, Mason Via is breaking off on his own and returning to his roots on his new self-titled, 10-song album.

Out April 25 via Mountain Fever Records, the record finds Via toeing the line between the worlds of old-time and progressive bluegrass with hints of jamgrass mixed in, no doubt an homage to his father, revered picker David Via. Via initially presented nearly 100 songs for consideration to producer Aaron Ramsey – among them a bevy of solo cuts, along with co-writes from the likes of Boy Named Banjo’s Barton Davies, and Christian Ward, the newly minted fiddler for the Del McCoury Band and the Travelin’ McCourys – before whittling the material down to a fraction of that to actually record.

The resulting songs serve as a continuation of what fans heard from Via with Old Crow, particularly the band’s 2023 album Jubilee, where he wrote or co-wrote seven of the 12 tracks – including “Allegheny Lullaby,” “I Want It Now,” and “Belle Meade Cockfight.” According to Via, many of these new songs were even written with Old Crow in mind before he made the decision to step away and release them under his own name.

“This is an album full of stuff that, for the most part, I wanted to do while I was in Old Crow but never got around to,” Via tells BGS. “That being said, I was excited to get to put them on my album because these tunes are a deep dive into who I am as a songwriter from my time spent living in Nashville.”

Ahead of the album’s release and amid a run of shows through the Midwest and Southeast with Logan Ledger, Via spoke with BGS by phone about his path to Old Crow Medicine show, how a Virginia festival changed his entire career trajectory, how he came to love co-writing after moving to Nashville, and more.

You were joined by a trio of bluegrass royalty – Rhonda Vincent, Junior Sisk, and Ronnie Bowman – on the songs “Oh Lordy Me” and “Mountain Lullaby.” What did it mean to you having them join you on those songs?

Mason Via: It was very validating, because I’ve always felt that I circled around bluegrass and navigated on the outskirts or fringe of it, so to have those torchbearers of the genre sign off on this meant a lot. I didn’t know Rhonda as well, but Junior and Ronnie are old family friends. I hate when artists have other people as features, but they’re not really featured – it defeats the purpose of it all. Because of that I really wanted to go out of the way to showcase everyone. For instance, on “Oh Lordy Me” we all take turns singing lead on verses before coming together for the chorus [with Bowman and Sisk], whereas “Mountain Lullaby” is trio harmonies the whole way through [with Bowman and Vincent].

You mentioned Junior and Ronnie being old family friends. Is that a connection through your father, who was a bluegrass picker himself?

It is, they all go way back. They used to have big pickin’ parties every Tuesday at dad’s house in Dry Pond, Virginia, that they called The Blue Room. They’d pick all day and night, with the last person left awake taking home the coveted Bluegrass Buddy Belt, a WWE-style belt, for bragging rights.

In addition to growing up around them, Ronnie also cut a couple of my dad’s songs and Junior was often around Galax and the fiddlers conventions I grew up going to, which the song “Oh Lordy Me” is sort of an homage to.

Speaking of home, you returned to Floyd, Virginia, to record this new album. After spending time in Nashville in recent years, what made you want to go back there?

Floyd is about an hour from where I grew up. I remember going to the Floyd Country Store when I was younger and playing up there and it being like a little mountain getaway, which is exactly what going back to the area to record felt like. It was a bit more secluded than when I recorded in Nashville and elsewhere previously, which forced all of us – myself, producer Aaron Ramsey and all the players – to be in it all the way from start to finish.

However, people will soon be able to hear those different approaches when I release alternate versions of a few of the songs on this album that I recorded in Nashville before this bluegrass record deal happened. Two of them, “Falling” and “Melting the Sun,” are psychedelic indie rock ‘n’ roll – think War On Drugs meets the Foo Fighters – whereas “Hey Don’t Go” is one I released alongside my departure from Old Crow with pedal steel, drums, keys, and electric guitar. We also recorded a version of “Wide Open” with similar arrangements in the same session that we’ll be releasing soon as well.

Sounds like we have a lot to look forward to!

Sticking on the topic of Floyd, I remember seeing you for the first time at FloydFest in 2019 with your band, Hot Trail Mix, which finished runner-up at the gathering’s On-The-Rise band competition that year. What has that moment – and the festival in general – meant to your music career and trajectory?

I’d just gotten out of college and was working as a substitute teacher at a military academy when the opportunity to perform in the FloydFest competition came about. I grew up going to the festival, so finishing runner-up and getting invited back to play the main stage was a moment where I started to realize I should take this more seriously. Since the next year was 2020 that show never happened, so my next time back at FloydFest was actually in 2021 when I played the main stage on Saturday night with Old Crow.

So the festival played a role in you linking up with Old Crow then. How did that opportunity come about?

Ashby Frank, a great bluegrass musician, suggested me to Donica Elliott, who worked with the band at the time, who then passed my information onto Ketch [Secor]. Eventually I got a call from him asking to come audition, so a couple weeks later I drove out there for a casual jam session where we played a bunch of old-time pickin’ tunes from fiddlers conventions with a couple of Old Crow’s songs sprinkled in. I came back and did the same thing the next day followed by [going to] Ketch’s house the day after to help move some furniture, which led to us writing the song “I Want It Now” [from Old Crow’s 2023 album, Jubilee]. I wound up getting the gig and next thing I know we’re recording an album. Even my first gig with them was the Grand Ole Opry – I was thrown into the fire, but loved every minute of it!

I had a great run with Old Crow, but the big reason for leaving the band was to pursue this album, because unfortunately you can’t do both. It feels a little like starting over, but I couldn’t be happier with where I am now. And who knows, 10 years from now I could be back in the band – the world is very cyclical like that. I saw Chance McCoy is back with them and they’ve been touring with Willie [Watson] again, which got me thinking about how the band is an ever-changing cast. We left on pretty amicable terms, so I think there’s definitely room for potential collaboration or a reunion in the future.

During your three-year run with Old Crow, what’s the biggest piece of music-related advice you learned from them?

I like to tell people that I think of my time with Old Crow as getting a Master’s degree in music. They taught me that you don’t need to play the craziest solo in the world or sing the wildest riff, you just need to be distinctly, uniquely you. I’ve been trying to lean into that more in my new material including this new album, which I think is some of my most personal material yet.

I know one thing you started doing a lot more with Old Crow that’s a regular part of your repertoire now is co-writing. What’s it been like opening yourself up to more of those opportunities lately?

When I first moved to Nashville, I’d never really co-written before, but when you get here you realize really quickly that that’s a huge part of the community there, similar to jamming with your buddies. It’s a great way to connect with friends and something I really enjoy because you don’t always get to do something like that on such a deep level. I’m also a very ADD type of person so I love the aspect of being intentional with your time and what you hope to create within it like that.

One of the people you co-wrote for this record with was Zach John King, who you first met in 2021 during your stint on American Idol. Tell me a little about your partnership with him that led to your songs “Wide Open” and “Fireball.”

We were set up to have a conversation together on camera for the show. That’s how we were first introduced and we’ve since gone on to become buddies long after Idol. When I got the Old Crow gig he reached out and said he was thinking of moving to Nashville and if he could stop by to ask me some questions about my journey and the process of going from American Idol to what I’m doing now. I was a mentor there for a second, but now it’s the other way around since he just signed a deal with Sony Music Nashville [in January]. He’s already got some songs doing well in the pop country world and is really about to take off. Connections like the one with Zach are reminders of just how small the music industry really is.

What do you hope people take away from listening to this collection of songs?

Every song is its own kaleidoscopic spectrum of emotions that I’ve felt in one way or another. I hope you can laugh and cry and dance and feel every emotion the whole way through, which I think is a trademark of a good album or show. Pairing those emotions with the feeling of what it was like for me growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains with all my influences, from rock and roll to country or the string band music that was always present during my raising, was a special experience and something I hope folks enjoy listening to over and over again.

What has music, specifically the process of bringing this new album to life, taught you about yourself?

I love how [music] takes you places, it makes you feel like an astronaut or something. You get to travel to different worlds, get outside yourself and figure out who you are. Each song is like its own barn quilt that showcases the different patchwork that holds a place in my heart.

Photo Credit: Ashli Linkous

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Mason Via, Golden Shoals, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Our weekly premiere round-up kicks off this fine Friday with a new video from singer-songwriter Kelley Mickwee from her upcoming release; it’s the title track and her favorite song from her upcoming album, “Everything Beautiful.”

We continue with some bluegrassy old-time from duo Golden Shoals, showcasing “Milwaukee Blues,” a staple on their set lists and at their live performances. And, fellow bluegrass artist and songwriter Mason Via brings us his brand new single co-written with Charlie Chamberlain entitled, “Falling.”

To wrap up the week in premieres, don’t miss two new BGS-produced video sessions that hit the site this week. First, the latest in our Yamaha Sessions featuring shredder Trey Hensley, followed up by a bonus DelFest Session from Mountain Grass Unit celebrating their new EP, which dropped today.

It’s all right here on BGS and frankly, You Gotta Hear This!

Kelley Mickwee, “Everything Beautiful”

Artist: Kelley Mickwee
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Everything Beautiful”
Album: Everything Beautiful
Release Date: September 27, 2024
Label: Kelley Mickwee Music

In Their Words: “My favorite track on the record. A love song, which are rare and hard for me to write. This one started as a poem, sitting on my back porch one late afternoon as the dragonflies swarmed the yard and the hummingbirds fought over the feeder. I was all of a sudden just overcome with such deep love in my heart. Sent some words to my dear friend, Seth Walker, and he put this beautiful melody to it before I even woke up. It’s the first song we have written together of what I hope is many more to come.” – Kelley Mickwee

Golden Shoals, “Milwaukee Blues”

Artist: Golden Shoals
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Song: “Milwaukee Blues”
Release Date: September 27, 2024

In Their Words: “‘Milwaukee Blues’ has been a staple of our live show for years. It’s got a fun, silly vibe, but it’s about the very real perils of hoboing in the 1920s. That smiling on the outside/crying on the inside dichotomy is one of the most fascinating things about bluegrass and old-time music. Though we focus more on our original songs, our early tours were always based around fiddler’s conventions – Mt. Airy, Galax, Clifftop, etc. Playing old fiddle tunes and songs is how we started to forge our own sound and how we met our dearest musical pals. We’ve released collaborative old-time albums before (Milkers and Hollers and Tune Hash), but this is our first time stripping it down to the duo. We usually do one or two of these tunes at each show and we wanted to get them down for posterity, and for the old-time fans! Tracks will continue to trickle out over the next year, culminating in a full 14-track album.” – Mark Kilianski

Mason Via, “Falling”

Artist: Mason Via
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Falling”
Album: Mason Via
Release Date: September 20, 2024 (single)
Label: Mountain Fever Records

In Their Words: “I co-wrote this song with Charlie Chamberlain, who’s known for his work on several Songs From The Road Band albums. We initially crafted this track as a companion piece to ‘Melt in the Sun,’ another song on the upcoming record. Originally, we intended for it to be recorded with my psychedelic electric side project as a rock and roll party anthem. It wasn’t planned for this bluegrass album, but after bassist and dobro player Jeff Partin singled it out as his favorite from the extensive list of songs I shared with him and the producer, I decided to include it at the last minute. I’m glad we included it because it blends that distinctive Mountain Heart newgrass drive with lyrics that are perfect for getting people moving.” – Mason Via

Track Credits:
Written by Mason Via & Charlie Chamberlain.
Mason Via – Lead vocals, guitar
Aaron Ramsey – Mandolin
Jason Davis – Banjo
Jim Van Cleve – Fiddle
Jeff Partin – Bass, Dobro
Kyser George – Guitar
Brooks Forsyth – Baritone harmony
Nick Goad – Tenor harmony

Yamaha Sessions: Trey Hensley, “Can’t Outrun the Blues”

Our Yamaha Sessions continue, highlighting the top-notch Yamaha FG series of acoustic guitars and the killer musicians who utilize them. This time, we’re back with guitarist, singer-songwriter, GRAMMY nominee, and reigning IBMA Guitar Player of the Year Trey Hensley. For his second session in the series, he performs a growling original, “Can’t Outrun the Blues,” that highlights the grit and attack of his custom Yamaha FG9 R, resonant and bold in open E.

Hensley’s techniques are bluegrass through and through, with clarity and athleticism to his flatpicking that stand out even among his incredibly talented contemporaries. The ‘grassy skeletal structure behind his approach to the instrument is merely a springboard into other textures and styles. Here, in a modal and bluesy number, you can certainly hear the influence rock and roll, down home and contemporary blues, Southern rock, and country chicken pickin’ have on Hensley’s own writing and composition.

More here.

DelFest Sessions: Mountain Grass Unit, “Lonesome Dove”

For a special bonus edition of our DelFest Sessions from earlier this year, we return to Cumberland, Maryland and the banks of the Potomac River for an encore performance by bluegrass four-piece, Mountain Grass Unit. On September 20, the group will release a brand new EP, Runnin’ From Trouble, which features this original number, “Lonesome Dove,” as the lead track. In fact, at the time of the session’s taping, the band had just recorded the song a week prior.

“We had an amazing time at the riverside DelFest Session performing our new song, ‘Lonesome Dove,'” said mandolinist Drury Anderson via email. “Watching people float down the river while we recorded made the experience even more special. It was an honor to be part of such a unique series!”

More here.

Photo Credit: Mason Via by Michael Weintrob; Golden Shoals by Mike Dunn.

The BGS Radio Hour – Episode 213

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

Welcome to the BGS Radio Hour! Since 2017, this weekly radio show and podcast has been a recap of all the great music, new and old, featured on the digital pages of BGS. This week, we bring you new music off of the beautiful new album Quietly Blowing It from Hiss Golden Messenger, as well as new music from Chris Thile, Maya De Vitry, and many more! Remember to check back every week for a new episode of the BGS Radio Hour.

APPLE PODCASTS, SPOTIFY

Nefesh Mountain – “Somewhere On This Mountain”

BGS caught up with Nefesh Mountain on a recent 5+5, where the duo shared a mission statement for their career: “Invent, inspire, repeat!” They also told us about their favorite onstage moment and about the artists that have influenced them greatly.


Beta Radio – “I Need My Prayers”

Beta Radio’s new track, “I Need My Prayers,” was a surprise to Benjamin Mabry when he wrote it within 15 minutes. In speaking about the song’s meaning, he told BGS, “I was in a mental and spiritual place of needing something to hold onto, I felt like I had lost all my footing in the world and didn’t know where to turn. And a lot of personal things felt like they were falling apart. So… I guess I just needed my prayers.”

Maya De Vitry – “Working Man”

Maya De Vitry’s “Working Man” was inspired by the creation of railroads in the United States, and more specifically, how the men who physically laid down the tracks are often not the ones credited with building them. This led her to reflect upon the people in our society who are overworked, underpaid, and overlooked, which ultimately helped her write “Working Man.”

Rory Feek – “Time Won’t Tell”

In speaking with BGS recently about “Time Won’t Tell,” Rory Feek shared how he first heard this song, and how it has become even more special to him after his wife’s passing.

Wilson Banjo Co. – “When The Crow Comes Down”

Wilson Banjo Co. co-wrote “When The Crow Comes Down” with acclaimed Nashville songwriter Jordan Rainer. The song features a “spooky theme” and pure Appalachian tone, and has a wonderful music video to accompany it.

Chris Thile – “Ecclesiastes”

Chris Thile has long woven religious themes into his songwriting, but never so much as on his new album, Laysongs. When we asked him if he enjoyed talking about religion outside of his art, Thile stated that it’s always been an instinct of his to intertwine what he’s thinking about with religious imagery. “Ecclesiastes” expresses the depth of Bible verse Ecclesiastes 2:24 instrumentally, which Thile did purposefully. In his words: “What language is incapable of properly expressing, instrumental music steps up and says, ‘I got this.’”

Hiss Golden Messenger – “Glory Strums (Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner)”

“Glory Strums (Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner)” comes from Hiss Golden Messenger’s latest album, Quietly Blowing It. Recorded in the summer of 2020 in Durham, NC, Quietly Blowing It reflects a joyful spirit that combines N.C. warmth with an LA glow.

Phil Leadbetter – “I Will Always Love You”

When Phil Leadbetter first heard Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” live, he was blown away. Years later in 2010, he recorded the track with his Scheerhorn guitar, but it was ultimately lost after some time. However, when Leadbetter recently found the track, he knew it would work perfectly for his new collection of resophonic guitar songs, Masters of Slide: Spider Sessions. 

Mason Via – “Big City”

Mason Via’s “Big City” is what he calls, “a personal hillbilly mantra of sorts,” and it’s the first single off of the American Idol contestant’s debut album with Mountain Fever Records.

Johnny Flynn, Robert Macfarlane – “Ten Degrees of Strange”

This Duos of Summer feature, “Ten Degrees of Strange,” comes from Robert Macfarlane and Johnny Flynn’s recent collaboration, Lost in the Cedar Wood. A week into lockdown, Macfarlane, a Cambridge University academic and bestselling author, reached out to his good friend and musician, Johnny Flynn, asking if he would like to write a song together. In speaking about working with Macfarlane and writing during the midst of the pandemic, Flynn said: It started as just a song, and then it became a few songs… but it held me in place and kept me from completely spinning out.”

Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers – “Living Left to Do”

In the words of Joe Mullins, “‘Living Left To Do’ is about enjoying our calling, celebrating God’s goodness, and the blessed assurance of life eternal. We’re ready to live, love, laugh, and have a lot more to do!'”

Lea Thomas – “Hummingbird”

Lea Thomas’ “Hummingbird” was inspired by a dream she had, in which she turned into a white wolf and ran across the countryside, taken aback by the beauty and interconnectedness of life.

Photos: (L to R) Chris Thile by Josh Goleman; Maya de Vitry by Kaitlyn Raitz; Hiss Golden Messenger by Chris Frisina

WATCH: Mason Via, “Big City”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Mason Via
Hometown: Danbury, North Carolina
Song: “Big City”
Release Date: June 11, 2021
Label: Mountain Fever Records

In Their Words: “‘Big City’ is a song that I wrote as a playful fantasy, but it turned into something bigger, a personal hillbilly mantra of sorts. This past year has brought a lot of big changes in my life, from landing a top 40 placement on American Idol, joining the legendary Old Crow Medicine Show, to signing a record deal with Mountain Fever Records. ‘Big City’ is the first single off of my upcoming debut album with the label. The melody to this song is so catchy. I’ve been singing it for a while now, but it still gets stuck in my head, and I reckon that’s a good thing. The track features a couple notable artists from other prominent bands. Nick Goad of Sideline sang harmony on the track. Alex Genova (banjo) and Tommy Maher (Dobro) of Fireside Collective also lent their skills to the song.” — Mason Via

Photo credit: Shana Lee Photography